Started in 2022, the Urban Treks Challenge was envisioned by the BRRAlliance and Outside Chronicles as a way to highlight the presence of the natural world in urban environments, as well as to highlight the ways in which residents of the City of Buffalo can experience nature without having to leave the city they call home.

In 2022 the inaugural Urban Treks Challenge introduced a series of “treks”, urban walks of varying distances selected by the BRRAlliance and Mike Radomski of Outside Chronicles to help introduce participants to areas of Buffalo where they could experience nature without leaving the city.  The goal of these treks was not only to get participants outside where they could experience nature without having to travel outside of Buffalo, it also had the goal of introducing participants to areas in Buffalo which had been newly restored or whose existance is often overlooked due to isolation by landscape features or manmade structures, such as the waterfront areas in northwest Buffalo.  This mission continued with the second challenge in 2023.

In 2024, the Urban Treks Challenge took things to the next technological level by integrating app support through Eventzee and Avenza Maps.  Integration of Eventzee into the challenge allowed for the addition of new ways to participate in the challenges such as locating animals or specific trees along the challenge routes.  Avenza Maps allowed for more detailed route mapping and easier navigation by challenge participants.  The theme of the 2024 challenge was the “Year of the Trees” with treks selected to highlight the abundant tree life of the city, and how Buffalo’s fruit trees and other urban plant life support the city’s human and animal populations.  New challenges introduced through the new apps encouraged participants to identify plant and animal life spotted along each trek.

Participants in the 2024 challenge hailed the integration of the new apps, praising the ability to log completed treks and upload images all in one place, as well as the enhanced navigation offered through digital maps, showing that these apps were a successful way to integrate technology into the mission of getting pariticipants outside to experience nature.

The Urban Treks Challenge runs from June 21 – October 15 each year.   All treks are designed to be accessible individuals of varying mobility, child-friendly, and pet-friendly except where prohibited.  Registration is handled by Outside Chronicles via their website.  All proceeds from the challenge go to the BRRAlliance and its continuing mission of the overall betterment of the Black Rock, Riverside, Grant-Amherst, and West Hertel communities of Buffalo, New York.

As of the end of 2024, plans are already underway for the 2025 challenge!

Anne and Mike Radomski celebrate another successful year of the Challenge! (Oct 2024)